ACEN set to start Laguna Lake floating solar project

MANILA  -Ayala-led ACEN Corp. is set to develop its first large-scale floating solar project on Laguna Lake, adding 1,100 megawatts (MW) of power capacity to its renewable energy portfolio.

The listed energy platform of the Ayala group on Tuesday signed a renewable energy (RE) contract area utilization agreement with the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) to lease 800 hectares (ha) of RE area in the country’s largest freshwater lake.

The LLDA had auctioned off 2,000 ha in the southern and eastern areas on Laguna de Bay for the development of floating solar projects spanning the cities of Calamba, Santa Rosa and Cabuyao, as well as the towns of Bay and Victoria. The total area translates to about 2,500 MW of floating solar power capacity.

Among the winning bidders were ACEN, local solar power developer SunAsia Energy Inc., and Singapore-based Vena Energy, according to the LLDA.

ACEN president and chief executive officer John Eric Francia explained that the project was still in the predevelopment stage, as the winning bidders still have to secure the necessary permits, such as environmental compliance certificates, before proceeding to construction.

“We still have a lot of work to do ahead of us. We have to talk to suppliers because this is the first time we’ll be doing [floating] solar,” Francia told reporters, adding that it was “too early” to determine the required capital expenditure for the project.